Conventional headphones exist in several configurations including what are referred to in the industry as in-ear, over-hear, and on-ear configurations. In-ear headphones are also referred to in the industry as “earbud” headphones. Headphones receive an electrical or electromagnetic signal from a media source, and include a transducer in the form of an acoustic driver (e.g., a speaker) that converts the electrical signal into an audible acoustic signal. Common media sources employed with headphones include, for example, mobile phones (e.g., smart phones), computers (e.g., desktop, laptop, and tablet computers), portable music players (e.g., MP3 players, compact disc players, cassette players, etc.), and gaming consoles. Headphones include wired headphones, which are coupled to a media source using a wire, and wireless headphones, which are operationally coupled to a media source by wireless (e.g., electromagnetic) signals (e.g., BLUETOOTH®). Some wireless headphones also may optionally be coupled to a media source using a wire, such as when the headphones have a low battery or in situations where wireless communication is prohibited.
The acoustic driver in conventional in-ear headphones is disposed within a housing and arranged such that the front surface faces toward the entrance of a user's ear canal. Thus, the acoustic energy waves emanate from the acoustic driver directly toward the ear canal of the user. In some in-ear headphone configurations, a sound guide tube guides the acoustic energy emitted from the acoustic driver from the headphone into the ear canal of the user. The sound guide tube extends from the front surface of the headphone housing, which faces the head of the user. The sound guide tube may extend away from the front surface of the housing at an angle relative to the geometric centerline of the headphone housing.